Spells Through The Ages – Feeblemind

Feeblemind: A spell to make a master magician (or their ilk) really, really stupid.

Original D&D

Feeblemind: A spell usable only against Magic-Users, it causes the recipient to become feeble-minded until the spell is countered with a Dispell Magic. Because of its specialized nature the Feeblemind spell has a 20% better chance of success, i.e. lowers the Magic-Users saving throw against magic by 4, so that if normally a 12 or better were required to save against magic, a 16 would be required against a Feeblemind. Range: 24".

The exact effect of being "feeble-minded" does not seem to be explicitly spelled out here, but whereas the spell is 5th level (out of 6) and only usable against Magic-Users, we can assume that it is highly potent.

Historically, the term "feeble-minded" was used as a technical term from the late 1800's on for a particular category of mental deficiency. Like many (all?) such terms, it has come to be considered a pejorative -- and also has an unfortunate relation to projects of eugenics and forced sterilization in the U.S. and U.K. A London Times editorial from 1834 described the Prime Minister Lord Liverpool, in retrospect, as being a "feeble-minded pedant of office". Clearly, the term feeble-minded indicates someone entirely not fit for any high-functioning operations. (Wikipedia)

In the Swords & Spells spell table, feeblemind was given an area of effect of "personal" and a duration of "until dispelled".

D&D Expert Rules

Feeblemind  
Range: 240'
Duration: indefinite
 
This spell makes a magic-user or elf unable to think or cast spells, becoming a helpless idiot. The victim is allowed a saving throw vs. Spells at -4. A successful save negates the effect of the spell. The spell effect lasts until negated by a dispel magic spell. This spell will have no effect on creatures or character classes other than magic-users or elves.

The Cook Expert D&D rules give more specificity to the spell; the victim cannot think or cast spells (really, the only thing a Magic-User is allegedly good for); he is "a helpless idiot". Indeed.

AD&D 1st Ed.

Feeblemind  (Enchantment/Charm)
Level:  5
Range: 1"/level
Duration: Permanent 
Area of Effect: One creature
Components:  V,  S,  M
Casting Time:  5  segments
Saving Throw: Neg.

Explanation/Description:  Except as noted above,  this  spell is the same as the sixth level druid spell, feeblemind (q.v.). The material component of this spell is a handful of small clay, crystal, glass or mineral spheres.

 The relevant description from the druidic listing being:

Explanation/Description:  A spell which  is  solely for employment against those persons or creatures who use magic spells, feeblemind causes the victim's brain to become that of a moronic child. The victim remains in this state until a heal, restoration or wish spell  is  used to do away with the effects. The spell  is  of such a nature that the probability of  it  affecting the target creature is generally enhanced, i.e. saving throws are lowered. 

 

The major change wrought here by Gygax is that the use of the spell has been expanded from (wizard-style) magic-users only to any spell caster, including clerics and druids (although the effect is easier to save against for those types). Also, the effect is even more difficult to recover from; instead of a mere dispel magic, it now requires a heal, restoration (6th or 7th level cleric spells), or full wish (9th level magic-user spell) to remove. Like they say, "There's no cure for stupidity" (or close to it).

The 1E DMG  has a few more details in its section on effects of psionic combat: "A feebleminded person has a combined intelligence and wisdom score of 0-5" (with the consequent effect of being 85% likely to die instantly from a psionic blast); and "All memory of spells is gone, and the affected creature cannot attack or defend."

AD&D 2nd Ed.

Feeblemind
(Enchantment/Charm)
Range: 10 yds./level
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: 1 creature
 Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 5
Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell is used solely against people or creatures who use magic spells. The feeblemind causes the subject's intellect to degenerate to that of a moronic child. The subject remains in this state until a heal or wish spell is used to cancel the effects. Magic-using beings are very vulnerable to this spell; thus, their saving throws are made with the following adjustments:

The material component of this spell is a handful of clay, crystal, glass, or mineral spheres, which disappears when the spell is cast.

Cook in 2nd Edition has consolidated the save categories, and yet again made the spell a bit harder to recover from; restoration will no longer work.

D&D 3rd Ed.

Feeblemind
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
 
The subject’s Intelligence score drops to 1. Still, the creature knows who its friends are and can follow them and even protect them. The creature remains in this state until a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish spell is used to cancel the effects. Creatures who can cast arcane spells or use arcane spell-like effects suffer a –4 penalty on their saving throws.

A few more adjustments here in 3rd Ed. -- the spell can now apparently affect any creature; the only explicit remnant of the original anti-magic-user focus is the same -4 saving throw penalty to creatures using wizard-type spells. Other than that, the spell effect has been softened a bit; the victim "knows who its friends are and can follow them and even protect them" (compare to note in the 1E DMG), and a few more spells can now counter the effect (limited wish and miracle).

Conclusion

Feeblemind is a really great spell for its given purpose in early D&D. If you've got a boss necromancer leading an army of evil or whatever, this one spell is your huckleberry -- simply put, it nukes wizards ("It's the only way to be sure."). It's actually the spell that ended the campaign the last time I ran a multi-year convention G/D module series, up in the Great Fane of Lolth (link). When hit by the effect of this spell, even one's own god is hard-pressed to save the subject.